The vision of foreign policy of the Government of the Rupublic of Estonia (extract):
The goal of the foreign policy of the Governing Coalition is to ensure the growth of Estonia’s security and welfare and contribute to stability and justice in the world.
To that end the Governing Coalition shall:
- upon shaping and implementing the foreign policy act in the national interests of Estonia, incl. ensuring the security of the state and citizens, making Estonia more known in the world, increasing Estonia’s involvement in the world and creating better opportunities for our entrepreneurs in global competition;
- consolidate good relations with the United States. Estonia shall continue to pursue an active policy for consolidation of the strategic partnership between the European Union and the United States, supporting the idea of signing the Transatlantic Partnership.
- support the strengthening of the cooperation between the Baltic States and emphasise regional cooperation in Baltoskandia, which unites the Baltic States and the Nordic countries;
- find the all-inclusive unique cooperation between Estonia and Finland to be important;
- pursue a consistent policy with regard to Russia and support concrete and practical initiatives for developing relationships between Estonia and Russia;
- expand Estonia’s foreign policy and diplomatic capacity in various regions of the world, incl. establish two embassies in the Middle East in 2008, commence opening a representation in Moldova, Romania and in one Western Balkan state in 2009, development of a fully functional embassy in Georgia and Bulgaria in 2008, construction of new embassy buildings in Peking and Riga;
- actively engage in increasing people’s awareness of and condemning the crimes of Communism and Nazism, contributing to the establishment of an international centre investigating the crimes of communism, finance such research, films and exhibitions;
- increase the analytical capacity of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and support the development of foreign and security policy think tanks into renowned international research centres. The public media shall obtain sufficient support from the state to open correspondent points in the main centres of the world;
- use Estonia’s foreign missions to a greater extent for supporting Estonian companies operating abroad and for increasing Estonia’s economic activity. The Governing Coalition shall supports Estonian communities located outside Estonia for the purpose of ensuring their sustainability, upon obtaining Estonian education, and ensuring their better management, especially outside the European Union;
- strengthen Estonia’s foreign missions with consular staff;
- increase the network of Estonia’s honorary consuls throughout the world;
- follow the well-being of the Fenno-Ugric nations living in Russia and keep the topic hot in international organisations. Support the native language educational institutions of Fenno-Ugric nations;
- enhance joint action with other states for ensuring energy and environmental security;
- increase Estonia’s contribution to international development cooperation and development aid; upon extension of the Iraq mission, take the mandate and principles of the UN Security Council, the international security situation and Estonia’s national interests into account;
- considers it important to increase Estonia’s activeness in the UN, among other things, running for various UN bodies.
Membership in NATO ensures our military security and means that Estonia is ready to participate in strengthening international security. NATO must remain a strong organisation of collective defence and be the organisation of the first choice in resolving crises which require military regulation. To that end the Governing Coalition shall:
- support the continuance of the open-door policy in NATO and share Estonia’s experience in becoming a member of NATO with the states who need it;
- support closer cooperation with the strategic partners (Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea);
- continue participating in NATO’s priority mission in Afghanistan (ISAF);
- support developing NATO’s capacities for combating new security threats (terrorism, trafficking in arms, narcotics and persons, natural and humanitarian catastrophes);
- be ready to organise a meeting of the foreign ministers of NATO in Tallinn in 2008.
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